Adjustable sweat band for hats



March 29, 1938. w. c. GRAY 2,112,808

ADJUSTABLE SWEAT BAND FOR HATS Filed June 25, 1935 Patented Mar. 29, 1938 ADJUSTABLE SWEAT BAND FOR HATS William 0. Gray, St. Charles, 11]., assignor to Jesse B. Hawley, Geneva, Ill.

Application June 25, 1935, Serial No. 28,321

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to means for supporting and holding a hat on the head of the wearer and has particular reference to hats of the type which is of a given size and larger than the wearers head and is suspended by the head or sweat band which itself is fitted to the particular size of the head of the wearer.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a novel head or sweat band device which is adjustably connected to the hat in such a way that as the hat is put onto the head the band readily fits the head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel head or sweat band device which is readily attachable to and detachable from the hat when it is desired to replace the band or to substitute a new band or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for connecting the head or sweat band to the hat.

Other objects, advantages, capabilities, features, and the like, are comprehended by the invention as will later appear and as are inherently possessed by the invention.

Referring to the drawing;

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a hat and head or sweat band device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through a part of the hat to show the connection between the hat and the band Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the adjustability of the band;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an element of the connection between the hat and band;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through a part of the hat and band and showing an alternate form of connecting means; and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the form shown in Fig. 5 showing the adjustability of the band.

Referring more in detail to the drawing the embodiments selected to illustrate the invention are shown in connection with a hat I having a crown 2 and a brim 3. The crown may have design features such as a boss 4 to represent a top knot, ridges 5 to represent seams or the like and ribs 6 to represent folds or pleats or the like.

The hat is preferably composed of accreted fibrous material molded upon a porous former or die by the accretion of treated fibres upon the contoured surface of the molding die, and suitably pressed, dried and coated, as more fully disclosed in the co-pending applications of Jesse B. Hawley and Edward C. Sloan et al., Serial Nos. 4866 and 4862 respectively and both filed on Feb. 4, 1935,

At the juncture 1 between the crown 2 and the brim 3 are located connecting means 8 which, in the particular embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, is in the form 01' resilient strips which may be of metal or the like. Each strip is bent at a bend 9 which is disposed at an angle to the length of the strip so as to provide the limbs Ill and I l extending in diflerent directions as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 6. The free end of the limb to has an aperture Ill for receiving the shank of an eyelet or rivet l2 passing through a suitable aperture provided in the juncture I of the hat (Figs. 2 and 5), the rivet i 2 having an inner flange l3 overlying the apertured end of the limb l0, and an outer flange l4 overlying the apertured portion of the hat juncture 1. The'limb l may have projections l for preventing rotation of the connecting member 8 about the rivet l2. The limb II is designed for sliding or adjusting connection with the sweat band l1, and may have a slot I 6 for clearing the rivet of the connecting means secured to the sweat band.

In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the limb II is shown as slidably disposed in a clip l8 and between the bends l9 and 20 of the normally bent-over fingers 2| and 22. This clip l8 has a base or back 23 suitably apertured to receive the shank of an eyelet or rivet 24 having an inner' flange 25 and an outer flange 26 between which the apertured portion 21 of the sweat band I1 and the clip base 23 are clamped. The slotted part of the limb ll of the connecting member 8 is so arranged as to clear the flange 26 of the rivet 24, or, in other words, the flange 26 extends in the slot l6.

To assemble or detach the sweat band, the fingers 2| and 22 of the clip l8 are either in or bent to the extended positions shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 whereby the slotted limb I I may be located in place with or removed from the clip, the slot I6 providing for clearing the rivet, such as the flange 26 thereof. After the limb is in place, the fingers 2| and 22 are bent into the full line positions shown thereof in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the slotted limb ll slides on the eyelet or rivet 28 and in between washers 29 and 30 carried by the shank of the rivet 28, the latter having an inner flange 3| for engaging the apertured portion 21 of the sweatband I1 and an outer flange 32 overlying the washer 29.

The sweat band is in the form of a strip of material which has sufficient stiffness to be held in some general form and still isresilient enough to give for changing the size of the band. In the drawing, this head or sweat band is shown to be of oval shape and is connected at spaced points to the connecting or supporting strips 8 as clearly indicated in the drawing. The band has free end portions 33 and 3l which'may be adjustably connected together by any suitable means. In the particular embodiment selected to illustrate the invention the end portions 38 and 34 are provided with eyelets II and I. through which may be threaded a cord 31 which may be elastic or non-elastic as desired, in such a manner that the ends Y88 and II of the cord may be tied together to form a knot 40. By tying the cord with greater or less length of the laps of the cord 31, it will be apparent that the end portions It and 34 of the sweat band may be at a greater or less distance with respect to each other accordingly increasing or decreasing the size of the sweat band.

In making adjustments of the size of the sweat band each element 0 is capable of sliding with respect to the rivet I or II as the case may be. In the former case the slotted limb ll slides in the clip It and in the latter case the slotted limb slides between the washers and 80. This sliding action takes place automatically as the sweat band is extended in peripheral lengths or is decreased in length. In this way the resilient members 0 compensate for adjustment or variation in size of the hat band. There is sumcient friction between the relatively slidable parts as to normally hold the elements in adjusted position. I 1

The members or elements 8 are also flexible so that as the sweat band is forced upon the head, when placing the hat upon the head, and is expanded at the lower portion of the sweat band, the members 8 will be flexed in compensation of that movement of the sweat band. In other words, the hat is supported by way of the elements 0 in a sort of suspension from the sweat band, the sweat band being supported on the head of the wearer. It will also be noted that the sweat band is spaced from the lower portion of the crown of the hat so that there is provided an air space between the sweat band and the hat so as to afi'ord free circulation of air. By reason of the resiliency or flexibility of the members or elements I when the sweat band is upon the head there is a certain amount of tension or pressure tending to hold the sweat band snug yet comfortably upon the head of the wearer.

A chin strap ll may also be secured to the hat by any suitable securing connecting elements, such as glove snaps l2 and 43 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

It will be apparent from the above description that the sweat band shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is easily detached from or attached upon the hat, by merely opening up the fingers of the clips and inserting the slotted limb of each connecting member I in place and then bending back the fingers of the clip. One advantage of having the sweat band (and also the chin strap) detachably connected to the hat is that the hats may all be made of one size and when the hat is to be used by the wearer of a given size of head,

the sweat band which is nearest to the size of his head may be easily connected in place in the clips as explained above. If the sweat band is not of the exact size of the head adjustment may be made by tying the knot 4| at the proper place. The chin strap which has been chosen for thepersontowearthehatmayalsobeeasily snapped into place.

Another advantage is that should the hat be used by a person for a short period of time, such as by an Army man. and when the wearer has ceasedtouseit,thehatmaythenbeissuedto another Army man but a new sweat band and a new chin strap will be attached into place in lieu of the ones formerly used by the previous Army man. This will obviate the necessity of issuing an entirely new hat to the second man.

Another advantage is that when it is desired to clean the hat, it is. an easy matter to remove the sweat band and the, chin strap and after the hat has been cleaned it is as easy to replace them.

While I have herein disclosed a few illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, details, arrangements of parts, features, and the like without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In a hat having a sweat band, connecting means for connecting the band to the hat and comprising resilient limbs respectively connected to said band and hat, and means for slidably connecting one of said limbs to the band.

2. In a hat having a sweat band, a member for connecting the hat and band, means for securing said member to the hat, a clip secured to the band, said member having a portion slidably connected to said clip.

3. In a hat having a sweat band, a member for connecting the hat and band, means for securing said member to the hat, and a clip secured to the band, said member having a portion slidably connected to said clip, said clip comprising bendable fingers for the attachment and detachment of said member.

4. In a hat having a sweat band, a resilient member for connecting the hat and band, means for securing said member to the hat, and a clip secured to the band, said member having a portion slidably connected to said clip.

5. In a hat having a sweat band, a resilient member for'connecting the hat and band, means for securing said member to the hat, and means for slidably connecting said member and said band.

6. In a hat having a sweat band, means for connecting the band to the hat and comprising a bent member, one end of said member being pivotally connected to the hat and the other end being slidably connected to theband whereby to provide for adjusting the band to various sizes.

7. In a hat having a sweat band, means for connecting the band to the hat and comprising a bent member provided with limbs, means for connecting the free ends of said limbs respectively to the hat and to the band, one of said free ends being provided with a slot whereby to provide for sliding movement between the band and the means, the other of said free ends being pivotally connected to the hat.

8. In a hat having a sweat band, means for connecting the band to the hat and comprising a bent member, one end of said member being pivotally connected to the hat and the other end being slidably connected to the band whereby to provide for adjusting the band to various sizes, and means for holding said band in adjusted position.

WILLIAM C. GRAY. 

